Shift - College admissions in a changing world

Is there a trades revival going on with Gen Z? Joy McClure is the Director of Admissions for X, a beauty school. In this episode, Joy talks about the trend of Gen Z going to trade schools versus traditional colleges, including the cost of college, why Gen Z is picking hands-on careers, and what each path holds for a high school graduate. Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced ad...

With all of the uncertainty about foreign-born students attending US universities, what do they need to know now? Hamada Zahawi is the CEO and founder of Write Track Admissions, a global admissions consultancy with a 93% success rate. In this episode, Hamada covers everything international students need to consider when applying to US colleges, including financial aid, visa concerns, and the curre...

Admissions counselors are often serving hundreds of students per year - how can you get them to truly help you? Teege Mettille is the Director of Enrollment Success at EnrollML and the author of the book The Admissions Counsellor's Malaise. In this episode, Teege shares his strategies for getting the most out of admissions counselors, including setting your child up for success from day 1 and alig...

Looking to study abroad in Europe? Yasiara Ortiz, founder of MissStudy, has been helping students find their best fit university all over the world for years. In this episode, Yasiara shares her top tips for American students looking to apply to European colleges, including how to identify potential good fit universities for you, how to determine the best country for you, and tips for applying. Vi...

Did you know that getting financial aid for graduate school is more common than ever? Howard Freedman, founder of Financial Aid Consulting, has been helping applicants get financial aid for over 20 years. In this episode, Howard shares how getting financial aid is more common thank you think, what types of financial aid you should apply for, and other tips. Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses...

What are the biggest lies told to parents in college admissions today? Jayson Weingarten, Senior College Admissions Consultant at Ivy Coach and a former UPenn admissions officer, has helped hundreds of prospective graduate students get into the programs of their dreams. In this episode, Jayson shares some of the outrageous lies in college admissions, including what top schools care about, which es...

CLT questions are different from SAT or ACT Math questions, and we're going to teach you how to solve them. Clay Daniel, founder of Clayborne Test Prep and Tutoring, has spent significant time with the founders of the CLT and is one of the country's first and most prominent CLT tutors. In this podcast, Clay walks us through three challenging CLT Quantitative practice questions to teach you how to...

Your child is already using ChatGPT - shouldn't you leverage it in the college admissions process? Teege Mettille is the Director of Enrollment Success at EnrollML and the author of the book The Admissions Counsellor's Malaise. In this episode, Teege shares his advice on how to leverage AI to make the college admissions process easier and more effective, including using it for research, essay writ...

Are you an international student looking to apply to US universities? Yasiara Ortiz, founder of MissStudy, has been helping students find their best fit university all over the world for years. In this episode, Yasiara shares her top tips for international students looking to study in the US, including why you should consider schools beyond the Ivy League, how to show your personality and mission...

What can families do with their 11th-grade students to help get into their dream college? Tom Ehlers is the founder of Method Learning and has helped students, families, and schools with every aspect of the college admissions process for decades. In this episode, Tom shares his advice for high school juniors and their parents, including maximizing their GPA while still starting AP and IB courses,...

What can families do with their 10th-grade students to help set them up for college application success? Tom Ehlers is the founder of Method Learning and has helped students, families, and schools with every aspect of the college admissions process for decades. In this episode, Tom shares his advice for how to approach sophomore year of high school, including curriculum, extracurriculars, and more...

The new adaptive SAT has had a few administrations now, so what advice can we give to 2025 SAT test takers? Sasha Chada is founder and CEO of Ivy Scholars, whose students have 7X the admission rate to Stanford, Columbia, MIT, and other top schools. In this episode, Sasha shares what the major changes are with the new adaptive SAT, whether or not they benefit students, and how it changes your strat...

Is the SAT better than the ACT for college admissions? Jayson Weingarten, Senior College Admissions Consultant at Ivy Coach and a former UPenn admissions officer, has helped hundreds of prospective graduate students get into the programs of their dreams. In this episode, Jayson shares many of the common misconceptions he hears from his clients and debunks them. Achievable has ACT and CLT prep cour...

Financial aid is for everyone, and you'd be surprised at how much you can get even if you consider yourselves middle or upper class. Sasha Chada is founder and CEO of Ivy Scholars, whose students have 7X the admission rate to Stanford, Columbia, MIT, and other top schools. In this episode, Sasha shares how more people are getting financial aid than ever before, especially those in higher income br...

Struggling to find an ACT or SAT tutor that fits your child's needs? Ravi Bhatia is the founder of Ashland Prep and has been tutoring ACT and SAT for over 5 years. In this episode, Ravi shares his advice on what to look for in a tutor, what questions to ask, and what really matters when picking the right fit tutor for your child. Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use adaptive learning t...

The digital SAT is officially here, so what's new? Lori Goldstein is the founder of Circle Test Prep and has been teaching ACT and SAT prep for 14 years. In this episode, Lori shares what she's heard from her clients who have taken the new digital SAT and advice for getting the highest possible score in the new format. Achievable has ACT and CLT prep courses that use advanced adaptive learning to...

Looking for the best college for you or your child? David Parker is the founder of Parker Educational Consulting, a PhD, and a former English professor. In this episode, David talks you through how to find your best-fit college and why you should consider great colleges in your planned degree or specialty that may not be the highest on the US News rankings. Achievable's ACT prep course uses adapti...

The Classic Learning Test (CLT) is a new standardized test for college and pre-college admissions in grades 8, 10, and 12. It is meant to be a classically focused alternative to the SAT and ACT. Jeremy Tate is the founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test (CLT) organization. In this episode, Jeremy shares the origin story of the CLT, where he saw a need for a new undergraduate admissions test t...

High school internships can give you a big leg up on your college admissions resume, but how can you get even more out of it and also maximize your chances of getting a great recommendation? Sasha Chada is founder and CEO of Ivy Scholars, whose students have 7X the admission rate to Stanford, Columbia, MIT, and other top schools. In this episode, Sasha shares how to get a great internship as a hig...

Getting stuck on the more difficult SAT Math questions? Ed Antoine is the founder of Antoine Education, and has been tutoring SAT and ACT tutoring for over 20 years. In this episode, Ed walks you through what makes the most difficult SAT Math questions so tough and shares strategies for how to conquer these tough problems. Achievable's ACT prep course uses AI-powered adaptive learning to target yo...

What is the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and how can it help me pay for college? Phil Black is the founder of PrepWell Academy, a former Navy SEAL officer, Goldman Sachs banker and D1 athlete. In this episode, Phil walks you through the ROTC program, its benefits, requirements, common misconceptions, and how it can help you pay for college and set you up for your career. Achievable...

Did you know that almost anyone can earn scholarships, including middle and upper-class families, and that they can take tens of thousands off of your tuition bills? Leia LeMaster Horton is the founder of Horton Test Prep, a former educator for 22 years, and an admissions counselor for 9 years. In this episode, Leia shares the strategy she gives her clients for kicking off the scholarship applicat...

In today's environment, with test-optional and the affirmative action ruling, testing might seem less relevant. But that is not the case. Ravi Bhatia is the founder of Ashland Prep and has been tutoring ACT and SAT for over 5 years. In this episode, Ravi explains why - contrary to popular belief - there has never been a better time to take the SAT or ACT as an undergrad applicant to top colleges....

Motivated students will study harder and do better on the SAT or ACT, but how can you get them to understand the gravity of what these tests mean? Travis Minor is the founder of Open Door Education, which has been helping students prepare for the SAT and ACT for over 10 years. In this episode, Travis shares his advice for parents about how to talk to their kids about the standardized testing proce...

What's new in college admissions as we get into late 2024? David Parker is the founder of Parker Educational Consulting, a PhD, and a former English professor. In this episode, David shares the key trends in college admissions and gives advice for parents and students to navigate them. Achievable's ACT prep course uses adaptive learning to target your weak areas and boost your score - visit https:...